Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

A runny nose is having fluid run out of the nose. The fluid can range from thin and clear to thick and yellow-green. The fluid might drip or run out of the nose, down the back of the throat, or both. If it runs down the back of the throat, it's called postnasal drip.

A runny nose is often called rhinorrhea or rhinitis. But the terms are different. Rhinorrhea involves a thin, mostly clear fluid running from the nose. Rhinitis involves irritation and swelling inside the nose.

Rhinitis is the usual cause of a runny nose. A runny nose also might be stuffy, also called congested.

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April 07, 2023

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